Redemption
by Vera-Sama
Summary: Two years after becoming a wanderer, Kenshin stops a woman from commiting suicide,, and both start on their separate roads to redemption.


AN: This is just a little Kenshin fic, I got the idea in the middle of the night and decided to try it out. It's not very long and probably not my best story, but it is my first RK fic, so please be patient.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kenshin, so stop asking.  
  
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Kenshin looked around him as he took a shortcut through yet another forest. It had been two years since he'd become a Rurouni. He heard a noise from nearby, and went that way. He saw a woman in the middle of a clearing. She was about his age with raven black hair and piercing blue eyes, dressed in a white kimono, holding a sword up aimed at her heart. It didn't take him long to figure out what she was about to do and what he should do. He bolted forward and pulled the sword away the only way he could, by the blade.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?" The woman demanded, jumping up and glaring at him.  
  
"I could ask you the same thing, that I could." He replied, picking up the sheath and putting the sword away.  
  
"What makes you think this was any of your business?" She asked, although she sounded less angry. "What gives you the right to interfere?"  
  
"Nothing really." He replied. "Except that I vowed to protect the innocent."  
  
"The innocent?" She repeated the laughed. Kenshin figured this was the first time he'd ever seen someone laugh and cry at the same time. "I'm far from innocent."  
  
"How so?" He inquired.  
  
"Oh! You're hand!" She exclaimed suddenly. "Come on, I'll get that patched up for you."  
  
Kenshin noticed the subject change, but ignored it and followed her.  
  
"You're being very trusting...Is that really safe?" Kenshin asked as they walked towards a small house.  
  
She laughed again, but there were no tears this time.  
  
"I figure I deserve whatever I get." She led him inside and began to promptly bandage his hand. "So you saved my life...have you got a name?"  
  
"My name is Hik-Himura Kenshin."  
  
"Nice to meet you, Kenshin-san. My name is Katai Hana."  
  
"I should be going Hana-dono, that I should." Kenshin said after a moment of silence.  
  
"Nonsense! I was just about to fix some dinner" Hana smiled. "Please stay and eat with me."  
  
This last line was more a plead then a request. He agreed and helped her prepare the small meal.  
  
"Hana-dono...if you don't mind me asking...I'd like to know why."  
  
"Why what, Kenshin-san?"  
  
"Why were you planning on killing yourself today in the forest?"  
  
Hana dropped the small bowl she'd picked up, and it shattered to the ground.  
  
"I did a terrible thing and felt I could no longer live with myself." She said in a detached tone as she bent down and began to pick up the broken bits.  
  
"Nothing could've been that horrible." Kenshin helped her gather the last fragments. "I've done many bad things in my life, but I knew suicide was not the answer."  
  
"Nothing you could've done could ever be this bad." She allowed Kenshin to lead her away from the tiny kitchen and sat down on the bed. "My husband was a police officer in town, that's how we met actually. He stopped a pick pocket that had stolen my purse while I was in the market one day, and it was love at first sight. Have you ever felt that Kenshin-san?"  
  
"Hai, that I have." Kenshin recalled his reason for becoming a Rurouni in the first place, and was glad when Hana continued speaking.  
  
"Well, even though the war was over, once we were married he insisted I know how to defend myself, so he taught me swordsmanship. We'd had a string of break-ins all around town, and they'd assigned him the late patrol, in hopes he'd be able to catch them. He never cam in before daybreak..." Her voice broke and her eyes began to tear up. "I heard a noise in the middle of the night, and charged blindly at the intruder, I'd thought it had been the thieves, I never dreamt...it wasn't until my eyes adjusted to the light that I saw..."  
  
She was unable to finish her sentence, but instead broke down and cried harder then ever before. Kenshin put comforting arms around her and said nothing for a while until she'd finally composed herself enough to finish.  
  
"I wasn't charged for anything, the police captain understood why I'd done it, but the people in the town never forgave me. My husband was the best officer on the squad, and everyone loved him, so they naturally hated me. It got to the point I couldn't stand to be near them, hearing them whisper as I pass, so I moved out here. But even the silence whispered too loudly. Out here it was just me and my thoughts. Every night I relive that night, wondering what I could've done differently. It seemed the only way to find peace was through death..."  
  
"I understand more then you could imagine Hana-dono." He said, smiling at her. "Have you ever thought of moving to a new town, far from here? Starting over?"  
  
"Hai, but I don't think I ever could. I've lived here my entire life."  
  
He nodded silently, and both sat there lost in their own thoughts until Hana looked up.  
  
"Why exactly did you become a Rurouni, Kenshin-san?"  
  
"My story is not much different then yours. I did many terrible things during the Revolution, that I did, and I killed many people." He paused for a moment. "Including my wife, Tomoe."  
  
Hana nodded, silently telling him there was no need to explain.  
  
"I decided the best thing I could do to repent for my sins was become a Rurouni and protect those who are unable to protect themselves. For the last two years I wandered all over Japan, helping wherever I could."  
  
She nodded, smiling at him, then stood to finish serving dinner. Afterwards they sat there a while facing each other.  
  
"Where are you going next?"  
  
"I'm not sure, I never plan where I'm going, but Tokyo isn't far off, and I've heard it's a nice city. Maybe I'll go there."  
  
"It would be great to live in a city like Tokyo..." She stared off into space happily for a moment, then snapped back to reality. "Say, Kenshin- san...if you go to Tokyo, do you think I could go with you?"  
  
"Oro?"  
  
"I bet that's just the kind of place I need to put this all behind me...God knows I need to, it's been two years already..."  
  
"That would be nice Hana-dono."  
  
The next morning, after a simple breakfast, Hana packed her few belongings, and started out with Kenshin towards Tokyo.  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this, Hana-dono?"  
  
"Hai Kenshin-san. I really feel this is what I need, and I also believe my husband would've wanted be to move on."  
  
They reached Tokyo about midday and kenshi n made sure Hana was able to find a place to stay at a cozy little in before announcing his departure.  
  
"Thank you for the nice meals and the company, Hana-dono."  
  
"I should be the one thanking you, Kenshin-san. You've helped me more then you could ever know."  
  
She hugged him, and he gave a small "Oro?" before returning the hug. She looked at him a moment longer.  
  
"Thank you." She whispered, kissed him on the cheek, then turned to go.  
  
Kenshin walked her walk off, and realized that maybe he didn't always need his sword to help people. He turned and walked off towards the less crowded part of town, and for the first time, felt like he might actually be on the way to true repentance. 


End file.
